Succeeding in a support role

Administrative Professionals Day fell on April 26 this year. If you missed it, don’t beat yourself up. Despite being ensconced on most preprinted desk calendars, it’s likely one of the most overlooked observances of the year. I’m guessing it was easier to remember when it was called Secretary’s Day – and when people actually had secretaries. Just think for a minute about a few of the current jobs we used to generically call “secretary”: Receptionist, office manager, executive assistant, scheduler, coordinator, administrative assistant, personal assistant… not to mention “Gal Friday” and “right-hand (wo)man.” You can see how Administrative Professional would be a better name for this grouping.

One thing these jobs have in common is that they are fundamentally support roles. In each case, the admin (another common name) conducts essential duties that make it possible for others to do their work. Which I’d say is argument enough for having a day on the calendar – there’s no better way to get “lost” in the corporate shuffle than to hold a role defined by someone else’s work.

Getting overlooked by others is nothing compared to the risk of losing oneself while holding a support role. If we’re all prone to defining ourselves by our work, what does that say about someone whose job requires they be “all things to all people”?

It’s easy to get burned out or disillusioned when your sense of fulfillment is always pegged to someone else’s acknowledgement of your value to their project. Since people often take their admins for granted, they may not be offering positive feedback very regularly. Sadly, they’re probably much quicker to note whenever a task falls short.

If that’s not a formula for burnout, I don’t know what is. When I talk with admins who are questioning their career path, I lean on a few categories of questions for us to discuss. Here, in a nutshell, are the main points we might cover.

Job or career? If the main purpose of this work is to bring home the bacon, we can focus on straightforward problem solving: How much bacon, and can it as easily be earned elsewhere? If there’s nothing tying the person to this particular position, perhaps it makes sense to simply move on. The same might be true if the job is part of a larger career, but now we have some other questions to answer. For example, is this person’s career path defined by this role, or by the industry this person works in? Since it’s relatively common to take an admin job as a “foot in the door” to a desired company or industry, it’s logical to check whether that plan is actually working out – or does this person feel stuck? Building the career path. If the desired career path is actually something other than administrative support work, it’s time to review all the pieces related to building that career. For example, admins in advertising who dream of being account reps need to honestly assess that role, in both the current workplace and elsewhere. Are there classes they should be taking, or certifications to earn, or professional associations to join? Are they ready for promotion, and have they made their interest known?

On the other hand, if this person defines his or her career as administrative support, it’s time to claim that space. Joining a relevant professional association and attending all the meetings – including national conferences if possible – is a fast track to being taken seriously. In addition to providing training that can be applied at work, the meetings will also offer networking opportunities and context to help admins benchmark their current jobs. Making an impact. Since these roles are deeply entwined with “bigger” roles – support to an executive being a classic example – admins are vulnerable to invisibility. While there’s power in holding the keys to the executive’s calendar, that’s not the same as making an impact by, say, streamlining the scheduling process overall.

Whether it’s improving processes or adding something new to the culture, such as an internal newsletter, professional admins will reap more satisfaction from the job when they have projects of their own in addition to their support work. Claiming credit. One tip that applies to everyone in the field regardless of larger aspirations is to claim credit for their work. While not everything can (or should) be acclaimed in the workplace, capturing the details of everyday tasks and special projects in a file will help tremendously when it’s time to upgrade the resume or LinkedIn entries. In the meantime, reviewing those notes occasionally is a good way to feel validated: Yes, you are working hard and doing good work, even if you’re not always being recognized for it.